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UK Food Exports to China Up 35%

UK - British food and drink exports saw record growth in the first half of this year, rising by 8.5 per cent on the same period last year, buoyed in part by a 35 per cent increase in exports to China.

The first half of the year saw exports of all British food and drink grow to 10.2 billion pounds ($13.14 billion), up by 8.5 per cent and also representing the highest first half-year growth on record.

Whisky, salmon and beer remained the UK's top three food and drink export products. Ireland, France and the United States are the top three destinations for British products in terms of overall value.

UK food and drink exports to China from January to June totalled 274.3 million pounds, a 35 per cent increase on the same period last year. This represents the third-largest growth for an individual market, behind South Korea and Belgium where exports grew by 77 per cent and 39 per cent respectively.

George Eustice, minister of state at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: "We will continue to work with industry to open new opportunities. Last week, we announced further market access to China for pork producers, and UK beef will soon be heading to the Philippines."

On 14 August, Mr Eustice announced an increase in the number of pork exporters and products from the UK to China. Valued at 45.2 million pounds, salmon was the UK's top food and drink export product to China in the first half, a 60.1 per cent increase. In descending order, pork, milk and cream powders, whisky, beer, crustaceans, milk and cream liquids, waters, coffee and wine rounded out the top export products from the UK to China this year.